There seems to be no light at the end of pensioners’ tunnel; no sooner do they jump one hurdle then another is thrown their way. Close to two decades ago, Rwanda went into an agreement with Burundi and the Democratic Republic of Congo to harmonise their pension payments, especially for former civil servants in the respective countries. Since the three countries had been under one administration during the Belgian colonial rule, it was a simple things; former employees would see their pension payments follow them to their new countries of resident. But foot dragging, dilly-dallying tested the patience of the pensioners now in their twilight years. It is ridiculous that an archaic 1974 law is the only thing standing in the way for many pensioners. It is subject to statutory limitations whereby if a pensioner does not lay claim to his or her benefits after ten years, the benefits are lost. That was a politically motivated law which the Habyarimana regime enacted so that in the event of the return of former Tutsi employees who had gone into exile, they would not claim even a penny. Pensioners successfully lobbied the law in 2015, but it was not retroactive. That is where the mystery lies; if parliament wanted to right a historical wrong, it should have taken into consideration all concerned so that no one is left behind. Rwanda Social Security Fund should not hide behind bad laws but should ‘be working on how the pensioners can get a fair deal. Those people sweated for their money and have a right to access their pension whether a law is retroactive or not. What is so difficult for parliament to retrace its steps and amend a very unfair law? The pensioners served their countries with diligence and they deserve to be treated better.
